u
&
1°
Dr. Cbauncfs
\
DISCOURSE
Occafioncd by the DEATH of the Reverend
Dr. May hew.
u
A
DISCOURSE
OCCASIONED
BY THE DEATH OF THE REVERNED
JONATHAN MAYHEW, D. Do
LATE PASTOR OF THE
WEST-CHURCH IN BOSTON :
WHO DEPARTED THIS LlFE
On Wednefday Morning, JULY 9. 17663
.&TATIS 46.
Delivered the LORD'S-DAY after his Deceafe.
BY
CHARLES CHAUNCY, D. D.
A PASTOR OF THE FIRST CHURCH IN BOSTON.
B 0 S T 0 N l
Printed by R, and S. DRAPER, EDBS and GILI,, and
T. and J. FLBST.
MDCCLXVf,
A FUNERAL DISCOURSE.
ECCLES. VII. 2.
— " THAT is the end of all men, and
the living will lay it to his heart. '
HAD the fovereignLord of life fele&ed
for death me, who am fpeaking to
you, inftead of him who was your
paftor, and my " fellow-laborer, and com-
panion, in the kingdom and patience of
Jefus Chrift, " he would, I doubt not, have
been concerned, that fuch a providence
might have quickened his care in preparing
to follow after in his turn. And had he
been
A FUNERAL DISCOURS-E.
been called to preach upon my departure
out of the world, as I am upon his, I can-
not fuppofe but he would have taken occa-
lion from fuch a difpenfation to put his
hearers in mind of their own end ; urging
them to conftant diligence, in the ufe of
all means, that they might get and keep
themfelves in readinefsfor it. This is cer-
tainly the voice of heaven in the affecting
inftance of mortality we are invited this
day to lament before God : And it very
loudly and folemnly calls to us all. " He
that hath ears to hear, let him hear." And
may the voice of fo ftriking an article in
the conduct of God not only enter into our
cars, but into our hearts ! that it may have
an abiding good effeft upon our lives,
IM order to this, I fhall employ your
meditations on the well adapted, important
words of the wile and infpired Solomon,
which have been juft read to you ; taking
occafion from them to confider death as
" the end of all men," and to explain and
urge the duty of " laying to heart" this fe-
fious and affecting truth.
THE
cc
FUNERAL 'DISCOURSE. 7
TH E wife man had been fpeaking of
the houfe of mourning ;" and he ful>-
joins thereupon the awakening obfervation
in the former part of my text, " that is the
" end of all men." His meaning is, that
death is the common fate of the whole hu-
man race ; that we may all as certainly ex-
pe£l to die, and to be carried to the grave,
as thofe whofe funerals we are at any time
called to attend.
ONLY, let it be carefully remembered
here, his thus fpeaking of death, as " the
end of all men," is not to be underftood as
favoring the notion of thofe, who fuppofe
that death puts a " final period to man's
exiftence." Such an interpretation of his
words would be a contradiction, not only
to the general doftrine of the Bible, but to
the doftrine of this royal preacher himfelf
in this very book ; which is, that " the
fpirit of a man," when he dies, " gpeth up-
wards," that is, to God, that God, who, as
he fays, " will bring every work into judg-
ment, with every fecret thing, whether it
be good or whether it be evil/'
Hfi
8 A FUNERAL DISCOURSE.
HE does not therefore call death " the
end of all men," becaufe it puts an end to
their being ; but becaufe it terminates their
Hate in this world ; introducing them into
a new and different manner of exiftence.
Death is their " end," not as they ceafe, by
means of it, to be any more at all ; but as
it deftroys their prefent mode of life, with
all the connections therewith, and depen-
dances thereon, fo far as they relate to this
lower world.
THE human fyftem is a moft curious
piece of divine workmanfhip. It confifts
of two eflentially different parts, a " body"
that is wonderfully put together, and ren-
dered capable, by means of its various or-
ganization, of a great many valuable purpo-
fes ; and a " foul" that is furnifhed with
powers of a more noble and excellent na-
ture, fuch as thinking, reafoning, refle&ing,
and perceiving both pleafure and pain,with
admirable variety, in kind and degree, al-
moft without end. Between thefe two,
though quite different from each otherwhere
is " fo intimate a relation as to conftitute
*c one perfon, or living agent. And fuch is
their
"
A FUNERAL DISCOURSE. 9
their mutual dependance, that the " mind"
perceives for the whole body, cares for all its
" members, and directs all its motions : And,
" on the other hand, the " corporeal organs'1
" convey to the mind the knowledge of ex-
" ternal objects, and are the fit inftrumcnts of
" its active powers." This is our frame, and
thus we live in the world. In confequence
of thefe wonderfully formed " bodies" and
" fouls," and the clofe union there is be-
tween them, we become capable of all thofe
employments and enjoyments, whether bodily
or mental, fecular or religious, wherein con-
fifts the benefit of life, and in the due pro-
portioning and regulating of which lies its
perfection and glory in this prefent (late, and
its preparation for the enfuing one. Now
death puts an end — to what ? To the relation
there is between foul and body, and their
mutual fubfcrviency to each other, and every
thing dependant thereon. No more pleafure
is conveyed by the eyes, or ears, or any other
of the organs of fenfation; no more ideas
are introduced into the mind from external
nature, at leaft in the ufual way : Nay, the
mind itfelf can no longer exert any of its
powers by the mediation of the body. There
is now an end put to all the labors, bufineflcs,
B aod
DISCOURSE.
and.amufements of the prefent life; to all
the fatisfactions arifing from external objects,
from fricndmips, from relations, or focial
communications of any kind ; yea, even our
very thoughts, depending on the body, do
now perifh, together with all our defires
and wiflies, all our projections and contri-
vances, whether for ourfelves or others.
TH is now is the " end" which death brings
upon c: all men." It at once puts a period
to all our pleafures as well as pains, to all
our hopes as well as fears, to all our con-
nections, diftinctions, and callings, whether
civil or religious,
PERMIT me here to make a paufe, and put
you in mind of the obligations of love and
gratitude you are under to Jefus Chrifl-, thro'
whom 5t is we have the hope of a glorious
immortality, notwithftanding all that death
can do to deprive Us of life. Though death,
which is the common lot of all men, will
" end" our being in this prefent ftate, diiTolv-
ing the union between our fouls and bodies,
and rendering us abfolutely incapable of per-
ception and enjoyment from any thing in this
lower world; yet, thanks be to God, it will
A FUNERAL DISCOURSE, 1 1
not deftroy our exiftenccas. " living agents."
For we are taught, .in " the gofpel of the
bleffed God/' which has " brought life and
immortality to light/' that the " foul" fur-
yives the funeral of the body, and is intro-
duced, by means of death, into another fl^te,
wherein it exerts its active powers in a new
and different way, tho' quite unknown to us
at prefent : Nay, we are affured in the facred
books, particularly thofe of the new tefta-
ment, that the " end"' which death puts to
the relation between our fouls and bodies,
in confequence of which our bodies are no
longer animated with life and activity, but
gradually fall to pieces, and crumble into
common earth : I fay, we are affured, in the
books of revelafion, that this difunion, which
death makes, {hall not laft always; but that
the time is coming, and haftcns apace, wljen.
our fouls and bodies lhall be again united -to
exift in this union in the eternal world. Says
our Savior Jefus Chrift, " The hour is com-
ing, in the which all that arc in their graves
ihall hear the voice of the Son of God, and
lhall come forth." And they who have done
well, approving themfelvcs .his true difciples,
2nd faithful followers, fh.a!l come forth to
enjoy an immortal life of happincfs. This
B 2 3i;
19 A FUNERAL DISCOURSE.
is clearly and fully certified to us by the
Apoftle Paul in thefe words, " We look for
a Savior, the Lord Jcfus Chrift, who fhali
change our vile body, that it may be fafhion-
ed like unto his glorious body." And again,
" This corruptible muft put on incorruption,
and this mortal muft put on immortality.
So when this corruptible (hall have put on
incorruption, and this mortal fhall have put
on immortality, then fhall be brought to pafs
the faying, that is written, death is fwallowed
up in viftory. Thanks be to God for Jefus
Chrift:,. thro' whom we obtain this viclory."
LEL us, my brethren, relieve our minds
under the fad profpeft of death, and the
*' end" it puts to our being in this prefent
ftate, with the hope the gofpel gives us, not
only of another manner of exigence in our
fouls immediately after death, but of our ex-
ifting again both in foul and body, and in a
\vorld where there will be " fullnefs of joy"
forever. Only, let us take care to behave in
the prefent life, fo as that our future immor-
tality may be this happy and glorious one.
IT is a thought particularly worthy of our
ferlous attention, that our exigence in
tlit
A FUNERAL DISCOURSE. 13
the ftatc that is beyond the grave, and after
the general refurreftion, will not be a blefTed
one, unlefs, in this day of our trial, we be-
come qualified for thofe employments and
enjoyments that will make it fo. We fhall
all live, 'tis true, notwirhftanding death, in
{he other world ; " for as in Adam all die,
fo inChrift fhall all be made alive :" But then,
this life will be an happy one to thofe only,
who fo improve their prefent opportunities,
powers and advantages, as to get formed to
a meetnefs for the glories of the heavenly
world, —
AND this leads me to explain and urge the
fluty fpecified, in the latter part of my text,
" the living will lay it to his heart."
NOT that this is always the truth in point
of faft. This cannot be the meaning of the
words. One might be ready indeed to think,
that fo common and certain a fate as death
would be ferionfly confidered by all ; efpe-
cially when they have placed before their
view a flriking example of what will be their
own cafe in a very little time, at longeft. But
•t is found to be far otherwife in experience,
a-nd by pbfervation. Though we know not
how
*4 A FUNERAL DISCOURSE.
Bow fbon our friends and acquaintance may
be called to attend our remains to the dark
and filent grave; yet, we are ftrangely inat-
tentive to fo momentous an event. We do
not " lay it to heart ;" we are not affected
with the confideration of it, fo as to "num-
ber our days aright, applying our hearts to
\vifdom," the wifdom of being religious, and
minding principally "the one thing needful."
WHEN therefore the wife man fays, " the
living will lay it to heart," his intention is,
not to declare what they do in fact ; but
what they ought to do, and what they will
do if they act as is bcfitqng fnjil> dying
creatures.
"THE living will lay it to heart/'' that is,
they will, if they are wife, fix their thoughts
upon their" laftend;" making death the fpe-
cial fubject of their ferious and folemn con-
templation. /That which is laid to heart
cngrofles the attention. The rnind is penfive,
and in a manner taken up with the object
before its view. One's thoughts are conti-
nually running this way. IF therefore " the
end of all men" is what " lies upon ow
.heart/' we (hall-, at proper times, qfpecially
\vhcu
A FUNERAL DISCOURSE, if
when called in the, providence of God to la-
ment the death of others, turn our thoughts
from the things of time and fenfe, and em-
ploy them in ferious confideration of that
fatal period which death will put to the ex-
iftence^of all men, and our own in Ipecial,
on this prefent ftage of aftiori. Not that meer-
ly thinking on the human frame, as that
which will fhortly come to an " end" here,
is all that is intended by " laying death to
heart ;" but this is one thing meant by it :
for, that can- never be faid, with any propriety
or truth, to be " laid to heart," which our
minds are not intent upon, fo as that it is the
fubject of our engaged meditation*
" THE living will lay it to heart" Ano~
ther thing, and the principal one here meant,
is, that they will be fo affefted with a ferious
fenfe of their " end" as to be put upon fuita-
ble endeavours to get prepared for it. When
any thing of a temporal nature " lies upon
our heart," we do not reft fatisfied barely
with employing our thoughts about it; but
are fo imprefTed with concern, as to be urged
on to that method of conduct which is ad-
j lifted to the objeft that engages our follici*
iude. And, in this fenfe, " the Jiving," if
they
16 A FUNERAL
they are wife, " will lay the end of all men
to heart." They wont content themfelves
with a flight and tranfient confideration of
death, like " a man, who, beholding his face
in a glafs, ftraitway forgetteth what manner1
of man he wras"j but this ferious and im-
portant truth will fill their minds, and excite
in them a deep concern ; fuch an one as will
be practical, influencing them to a becoming
care, in the ufe of all proper means, that they
may be fitted for the great event of their
dying, and leaving this prefent world.
IN fhort, this " laying death to heart," in
the fenfe the wife man ufes the phrafe, im-
ports fuch an awakened vigorous attention to
the affairs of our fouls and another world,
as will be effectual to difcngage us from our
fins, and put us upon u living in all good
confcience towards God/1 We fhall, if we
are fuitably affefted with " the, end of all
men," be aftive in our endeavours to become
poflefled of, and daily to improve, every chri-
ftian grace ; abounding in all thofe works
of righteoufnefs, which, " by Jefus Chrifl: are
to the praife and glory of God." We fhall
cherifli no beloved fin, we fhall live in the
aegleft of no known duty ; but fhall endea-
, vour
A FUNERAL DISCOURSE. 17
to yield a fteady, uniform, chearful, unl-»
verfal obedience to the divine precepts. We
fhall, in a \vord, (for I may not enlarge)
make it our earneft care, that the feveral
graces of faith, love, humility, meeknefs,
patience, contentment, weanednefs from the
world, and refignation to the divine pleafure,
may have a real exigence in us, and difcover
that they have by their being thrown out in-
to afts, as occafions may be offered therefor
in the conduct of providence, to the glory
of God, and oiir being in a pfefent aftual
meetnefs for the approach of death, and an
happy immortality by means of it.
THIS it is, and this only, tl^at makes it fit
and reafonable, that oar hearts fliould be en-
gaged in thinking upon " the end of all
men." If our attention to this fubjeft does
not awaken a concern in us, and fuch an
one as will influence us to practical endea-
vours that we may be ready for death, it will
be to no religibus purpofe. This therefore,
If not the only, is the principal fehfe, in
which the infpired Solomon is to be under-
flood, when he fatys, " the living will lay it
to heart," that is, if they aft up to their cha-
.rafter as reafonable creatures,
C LET
> 8 A FUN-ERAL DISCOURSE.
LET me now urge both myfelf and ycul
to this wifdom of condtift, by making it our
great csre fo to think of our " end," as that
we may be fitted for a glorious immortality
beyond the grave. To be-prepared for this,
by getting formed in our minds the principles
of piety towards God, faith in our Lord] efus
Chrift, and all the graces and virtues that
conflitute and adorn the chriftian character,
fhoald be our main bufinefs, the chief em-
ployment of our lives in this world. And
the fooner we fet about this important work,
the better : Nor fhould any of us dare t<3
run the venture of procraftinating in an affair
that is fo nearly connecled \vith our eternal
welfare, f \-oung people efpecially are apt
to be guilty of this folly ; imagining that^age
is the time for fcrious thoughtfulnefs, the
proper feafon to make preparation for dearh
and the other world. 'J hey fuppofe the evil
day of death to be at a great diftance, and
thiuk it is time enough hereafter to mind
their
f Dr. May-hew, fome years ago, preached and publifhed a
volume of fermons, his defign in which was, to •• aniwei1
the pleas of delaying finners," and to «• excite them to
fpeed in turning their ftet into the path of God's telli-
monies." Hs has faid every thing pertinent TO th« iu^ j?6r»
and in a ferious, pathetic, and yet mod convincing m.-n-
ner. It were to be wiflied, difcourfes fo well adap'er to
putxnen upon inftant endeavours that they may be«MJl€
religious, were snore generality attended to.
A FUNERAL DISCOURSE.
I
their fouls, and provide for their exiftence in
the future itdte But how knowcft thou,
O v.i in young man, but that an " end" may
be foon put to your days here on earth ?
" There are," as we read in the book of Job,
" that die in youth." And it is often feen
to be the truth of faft, that c; one dieth in
his full i^rength, being wholly at eafe and
quiet. His breafts are full of milk, and his
bones are moiftcned wich marro\V." And
fhould any of you be of that number that
fliall be feleftcd for death in the prime and
vigor of Tifc, what a pitiful excufe would it
be for your neglect of your fouls, and their
evcrlafting falvation, that you hoped you
fhould have • lived till you were "full of
daya" ! Oh ! tis perfett madncfs in young
people to depend upon life, cfpcciafly upon
life protracted till old age, and fo to depend
upon it as to live thouglulefs of religion, and
take 'no care to provide for their eternal du-
ration in another world. Let me befeech
you to hearken to that advice of pious David
to his fon Solomon, " rl hou Solomon, my
fon, know thou the God of thy father, and
fcrve him with a pcrfccl heart, and with a
willing mind." And fuffer your mind to be
Imprefled with the powerful motives with
C 2 Wi
JNER^L DISCOURSE.
which he enforces this advice, in the words
that immediately follow, " For the Lord
fl-ircheth all hearts, and underftandeth all the
imaginations of the thoughts. If thou feekeft
him, he will be found of thee ; but if thou
forfakeft him, he will caft thee off forever/"
Be perfuaded alfo to attend to that exhorty-
tion of Solomon himfelf, when he had pafTed
through the age of youth, and was come to
ripenefs of years ; " Remember now thy
creator in the days of thy youth, while the
evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh,
when thoii {halt fay I have no pleafure in
them."
MY being thu,s particular in fpeaking to
young people, upon the prefent oqcafion,
ipay be a word in feafon, as they make fo>
great a part of this congregation. And I
the rather thought there was a propriety in
it, as, I know, your now deceafed paftor was
greatly concerned that your minds might, in
early life, be favingly impreflfed with a fe-
rious fenfe of God, and the principles of ge-
nuine chriftianity. To this end he preached,
but a few years fince, a courfe of excellent
fermons, " exhorting" you, the young peo-
ple of his chars;et *'* ^o be fober-mlnded."
If
A FUNERAL DISCOURSE 21
It was at the defire of many of you, fighified
to him in writing, that they were printed fat
your fpiritual edification. He is now dead ;
but he (till fpeaks to you, and with great
affection and folemnity, in thefe difcourfes. J
heartily recommend them to your ferious, fre*
quent, and confiderate pcrufal. They are admi-
rably well adapted to inform your underftand-
ings, to awaken your paffions, and, by all the
motives that can be fetched from this world
or another, to engage your endeavours to
begin a religious courfe pf life betimes, and
to go oq in it all your days. It will be your
own fault, if you are not perfuaded, by
what you will meet with in them, to make
it the grand bufinefs of your life to gel
formed to a readinefs for the world you are
haftening to.
AND let this be the care of us all, be our
age, ftation, or condition, what it will. There
is nothing we can be urged to that more
nearly concerns us. 'Tis an affair of ever-
lafting importance.
ARE we any of us confcious to ourfelves,
that we have all along, even to this day, lived
thoughtlefs of our " cnd/'r.rglccling to
A F&NERsfL DISCOURSE,
'
preparation For it ? Oh ! what a wretched
ffate are we in ! And how can we be " at
cafe in biou," when we know not how foon,
or fuddenly, a period may be put to our con-
tinuance on the earth ? Suppofc the holy
God fhould fpeak to us in the language he
did to one in the days of Chrilt, " this night
diy foul (hall be required of thee :J> O the
Eotror of mind we fho.uld be thrown into !
When Belihazzar faw " the hand- writing up-
on the wall," though in the midft of his.
companions, and in the height of mirth and
joilkyv how was u his countenance changed" !
And how did " his thoughts trouble him" 1
A lively embleai of the awful furprife thofe
may be feized with, who arc overtaken by
death,, while they had no cxpc&ation of fuch
an event, and had made n,> provifion for it.
O how are they confounded, and amazed !
What an'guifh filleth their hearts 1 How cut-
ting is the review of their paft ncglecls !
How tormenting the fenfe of their loll op-
portunities 1 And how does the reflection on
their pa(r folly awaken their paffions, alarm
confcicnce, and camfe them to turn upon
themfelvTS with the kcenefl rcfentments*
THERE is not a more pitiable fight, than
that of an unconcerned, fceure, and flupid
A FUNERAL DISCOURSE, aj
ilnner, fuddenly arreflcd by death, and fent
to -the place of fcparate fpirlts in the invifible
ftate. To be turned out of the world with-
out cbnfideration of our latter end, and,
being unprepared for it, to fall' under the
fentcnce of the flothful and wicked fcrvant>
*' cart ye the unprofitable fervant into outer
darkiufs," where there fhall be " weeping,
and wailing, and gnafhing of teeth;" wJiat
more (hocking! what more terrible ! — Who
can exprefs the infupportable agony of -fucia
a poor foul ! It furpaiTls all language ! It goes
beyond* the reach of conception !
BUT let us turn the profoeft, and ftippofe
on the other hand, that we have " iaidxkada
to heart," have fo confidered this " end of
all men," as that we have been effectually en-
gaged to " ykld ourfelves up to God" thro*
Chriir, to love him with all our hearts, and
to ferve him with all our might, by a due
ufe of our tfmc, powers and talents : — In this
view of the matter, how fafe is our condi-
tion ! What (ccurity may we feel in our'
thoughts! What peace in our confcieaces-I
What joy in our breafts I 1 ht moft fudden
afTault by death would do us no harm, as
'being prepared for fuch aa event. We
£4 d FUNERAL DISCOURSE.
jnight have confidence tdwards God, wheri-
ever, or in what manner foever, we are called
hence. And fhould the call be fudden, O
how pleafingly fhould we be furprifed to
perceive, that we were now " in the city
<0f the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem,"
affbciated with the fpiritfc of juft men made
f>erfeft; with an innumerable company of
angels ; with the general affembly and church
of the firft-born, which are written in hea-
ifen ; with Jefus the mediator of the new-
covenant ; arid with God the judge of all !"
And who is able to defcribc the happinefs of
4hat ftate we are now in ! " Eye hath not
feen, nor ear heard, nor hath it ciitered into
aaan's heart toconceive" of the greatnefsof it.
NOTHING beyond this can befaid to drgc
«pon us the duty of " laying the end of all
men to heart." The infpired books have
p ropofed no higher motives to excite our
liopes, and alarm our fears, that we might
be roufed to aftion. And if we will be per-
fuaded neither by thefe mercies, nor terrors
of the Lord, we muft reap the fruit of our
own folly. No arguments that are more
|>owerfui can be ufed wUh us.
I HAVE
A FUNERAL DISCOURSE. ^
I HAVE now done with my text ; tho', I
believe, you expeft that I fhould, before I
conclude, take fome fpecial notice of the af*
feeling occafion which gave rife to the pre-
ceeding difcourfe from it. And, I freely own,
I am in no want of an inclination to do all
the honor and juftice I can to the memory
of one fo richly accomplifhed as Dr.Mayhew
is known to have been. Nor will any fuf-
peft the truth of what I fay, who are ac-
quainted with the friendfhip there was be-
tween us. This began upon his fir ft comment
cing a Preacher of the Gofpel, and has con-
tinued ever fince with mutual efteem, confi-
dence and delight. I will therefore " mourn
in fecret places", God's " putting far frorn
me" fo good a friend, his "-removing fodear
an acquaintance into darkncfs". This ma-*
lancholly occurrence has, I am ready to think,
excited in my breaft like fcnfations of grief
with thofe which David felt upon the death
of his beloved 'Jonathan ; and I can, with ali
fincerity, lament over him in the pungent ex-
predlons of his afflicted heart, " I am di£» \
treffcd for thee, my brother JONATHAN j
very plcafant haft thou been unto me".
D I MAY,
s 6 'A tUNERslL DISCOURSE.
I MAY, having obfervcd this, be tho't, in
fome meafure, qualified to portray his cha-
racter ; tho' in the doing of it, I {hall bere-
ligioufly careful neither to flatter the dead,
nor deceive the living : And, I think, I fo
far know myfelf as to be fure, that I dare
not, at fuch a time as this, and in fuch 2
place, attempt a delineation which I did not
really believe was righj and juft.
" TH E Father of fpirits" was pleafed, in
his diftinguifhing goodnefs, to favor Dr.
Mayhew with fuperior mental powers. Few
furpafled him either in the quicknefs of his
apprehenfion, the clearnefs of his perception,
the readinefs of his invention, the brightnefs
of his imagination, the comprehcnfion of his
underloading, or the foundnefs of his judg-
ment. And, together with thefe gifts of
God, he was endowed with a fingular great-
nefs of mind, fortitude of fpirit, and yet foft-
nefs and benevolence of temper : all which,
being enlarged and Itrengthened by a good
education, and the opportunity of free con-
verfe with men and books, foon qualified
him to makeva confiderable figure in the
world ; as he was hereby enabled to {peak
and write with that freedom of thought, that
juftnefs
*A FUNERAL DISCOURSE. 27
juftnefs of method,that ftrength of argument,
that facility of exprefliori, that livelinefs of
fancy, that purity of diction, a«d that appa-
rent concern for the good of mankind,which
procured him a name, both here and abroad,
which will-be remembered with honor long
after his body is crumbled into duft. It was
this that made way for his correfpondence
beyond the great waters, which was daily in-
crcafing : And, had the wifdom of God feen
fit to have continued him in life, it might
hare been of great fervice to his country as
well as himfelf, if we may judge from what
it has already been.
HE was eminently a friend to liberty both
civil and religious.* And if his zeal, at any
time,betrayed him in.to too great afeverity of
cxprefljan,it wasagainft the attempts of thofe
who would make Haves either of men's fouls
D 2 or
* Hi s firft printed cTiftourfps were upon the fubject of
LIBERTY. His view in them was, to alfert and
maintain the R i G H T OF PRIVATE JUDGMENT. Fc\v
have wrote more copioufly, more elegantly, or more
forccably upon this interring point. If, in ibir-e
inftanccs, the Dr's imagination got the better of Ms
judgment, betraying him into too warm and fatyrical
exprefiions, the candid will be difpofed to make all
due allowances, confidering his inexperience of the
\vorid, being then hi his youthful days. It was this
performance that firll fpread his fame, and rendered
him conspicuous as a writer, both here and abroad.
28 ji FUNERAL DISCOURSE.
or bodies. He nobly claimed that which he
efteemed equally the right of others, the
liberty of thinking for himfelf : And he
made ufe of all proper helps in order to his
thinking right. He freely confulted the
writings of men of all perfuafions, not omit-
ing to read the works of fyftematical divines,
and metaphyfical fchoolmen ; tho' he paid no
.regard to any thing he found in them, but
in fubferviency to the facred books of fcrip-
ture. Thefe he firmly adhered to, as con-
taining the revelations of God; making them
the one only rule of his religious faith.
44 What faith the fcripture"? was his grand
enquiry ; and, as his fentiments as a chriftian
and- divine were the refult therefrom, he had
the honefty and refolution to preach and
publifh the truth in Chrift, according to the
apprehenfion he had formed of h. If he
differed from fome others in a few points f,
they
f Two or three ye?.rs ago a pamphlet appeared among
us, under the name of an cbfcure perfon without re-
putation, wiotu e»t.Kor by himfclf, or a certain oflici-
clous lay-gentleman of his acquair.ti'iice, afhumcd or
' afraid to be kno\\n as its author, in which the Dr,
was reprefented as an ene??:\ fs t.'-c v?c?:c?!;cnt l>y Jefns
Chrijl. TJie real writer of that piece, whoever he
was, knew little of the Dr, or the UYLC rr caning
of his works. He mig'ht as \vall have taxed any
minifter in the Town or Province upon this head ;
for there Mras not one, n v.-lcdge, that was
more firm and ftcady ..ih us to this doctrine
of the oijjci, He Uwvcr ;»aJ U;c ieau doubt about It,
rf FUNERAL DISCOURSE. 29
they differed as much frorn him : Nor had
they, on this account, any greater right to
judge him, than he had to judge them ; tho'
he did not prefume to do this, as he tho't,
with exact truth and juftice, that we have
all one common Lord to whom we are ac-
countable, and by whofe judgment ONLY
we fhall either (land or fall in the coming
great day of try ah
HE was an avowed enemy to all human
cflablifhments in religion, efpecially the efta-
blifhment of meer ceremonial rites as ne-
cefTary to chriftian communion. And as he
cfteemed this a direct ufurpation of that right
which is proper only to Jefus Chrift, the only
fupreme head of the chriftian church, it may
be an excufe for him, if he has ever expreiTed
himfelf with too great a degree of afpcrity
upon this head.
IT was highly offenfive to him, when he
perceived in any an evident breach of truft;
efpecially, if the truft related to the thing
religion and another world. And as he had
upon his mind a clear and full convi<5Hon, in
common with many others, that this breach
of truft was juftly chargeable upon a certain
reipcclable
30 A FUNERAL DISCOURSE.
refpeftable focicty at home, tho' they might
be led into it thro' repeated mifinformations
from their correfpomdents here ; it was this
that gave rife to the fevcral pieces he wrote
upon this fubjeft; in which he honored hitn-
felf, fervcd thefe churches, and prevented the
application of much of that charity for the
propagation of Epifcopacy, which was in-
tended for the propagation of chriftianity.
He has received acknowledgments from Eng-
land on account of thefe writings, and from
fome of the Epifcopal perfwafion, who were
fully with him in his fentiments upon the
main point he had in view.
BESIDES what has been faid, thofe ac-
quainted with the Dr. muft have obfefved
that manlinefs of Spirit, that friendlincfs of
difpofition, that freedom and chearfulnefs of
tern per, which rendered him agreable to thofe
who had the opportunity of converfing with
him. They muft alfo have feen his amiable
behaviour in the fcveral relations of life. As
a hufband, how faithful and kind ! As a fa-
ther, how tender and affeftionatc ! As a Maf-
ter, how juft and equal ! knowing that
he had a mafter in heaven. As a friend, how
true to his profcffions ! with what confidence
to
A FUNERAL DISCOURSE. 31
to be trufted in ! As a neighbour, how ready
to all the offices of love and goodnefs ! In-
ftead of being deficient, he rather exceeded
in the afts of his liberality and charity. As
a minifter, how diligent, how laborious, how
fkilful ! making it his care to contrive his dif-
courfes fo as to inform the mind and touch
the heart, fo as at once to entertain and profit
both the fcarned and the illiterate, the polite
and lefs cultivated hearer. Few were able to
compofe their fermons with fo much eafe,and
yet fo much pertinence ; and few preached
with greater conftancy, or took occafion
more frequently frpm occurrences in the con-
duel of providence to make what he faid fea-
fonable and profitable to his hearers.
BUT what is more than all that has been
offered, he was, in the judgment of thofe
who beft knew him, a man of real piety and
true devotion, an upright fincere difciple and
fervant of Jefus Chrift. Was it proper to
mention the time, manner and circumftances
of his becoming pofTeffed of that faith inGod
and his Son Jefus Chrift, which purified his
heart, and became in him an habitual pow-
erful principle of virtuous aftion, I doubt
not but even thofc would entertain a good
opinion
32 A FUNERAL DISCOURSE.
opinion of him as area! chriftian, who may
have . been greatly wanting in their candor
and charity towards him, becaufe, in fomc1
points, his tho'ts did not agree with their's. I.
have abundant reafon to believe, from what I
know of him, that it was his great endeavour
to live in all good confcience towards God
and man. And fhould I appeal to you, the
people of his charge, you would all, I doubt
not, rife up and declare his approbation and
practice of the " things that were true, ho-
ned, juft, pure, lovely and of good report'*.
You would appear as witnefTes and (ay, that
he had been to you " an example in word,
In converfation,in charity, in faith, in purity",
and in all thofe other virtues which adorn
the chriftian's and the minifter's character :
Not that he was without his imperfections
and failings. I know he had them, and he-
knew it too ; and every one elfe knows that
he has many infirmities, who, in any tolerable
degree, knows himfelf. But he was uniform
and fleady in his regards to the religion of
Jefns ; not placing it in " tythes of mint,
anni£e and cummin", but the practice of
" the weightier matters of the law, judg-
ment, mercy and faith ": Tho', after all, in-
ilead of " trufting that he was righteous", in
the
A FUNERAL DISCOURSE. 33
the fcnfe of rigorous law, he efteemed him-
felf " an unprofitable fervent", and had his
dependance on the mercy of God, thro* the
mediation of the only Saviour Jefus Chrifh
In this temper he lived, and in the fame tem-
per, I believe, he would have died, had k
pleafed the alwife, righteous and holy Sove-
reign of the world to have permitted the
free ufe of his reafonable powers. And he
is now, as to his foul or fpirit, we charitably
believe, in that invifible world, which was
the great object of his hope, and where he
will be happy without any mixture of evil
forever*
You, his dear relatives, entertain this tho't
of him ; and while this is your faith, how
can you indulge to immoderate grief? Weep
you may, but it ought to be for yourfclves,
not for him, who is beyond the reach 6f fin
and forrow, and has enter'd into the joy of
his Lord.
WE heartily fympathife with you all ;
wifliing you the fupports of grace, and the
confolations of God which are not fmall.
IT
34 ^4 fUNER^L DISCOURSE.
IT is, in fpccial, our hearts defire, that the
amiable perfon, left in folitary Widow-hood
by the death of a moft tender hufband, may
be comforted of God in this day of her
trouble. Her cafe is pitiable. We could
hot blame her, if, in the agonies of her grief,
Ihe ihould break forth in thofe affefting
words, " have pity upon me, have pity upon
me, O my friends ! For the hand of the
Lord has touched me." 'Tis recorded of
the blefled Jefus, that he " wept'* over his
dead friend Lazarus ; and he will not take it
amifs, fhould the paffion of grief be ftirred
in you, and vent kfelf in tears, upon the de-
parture of him who was " the defire of
your eyes", and with whom you lived fo
happily, while it pleafed God to continue you
together. Only, you muft take care, that
you find no fault with your maker for deal-
ing thus bitterly with you. And you are
difpofed, I believe, and upon the principles
of chriftianity, rather to fubmk patiently to
the fovereign alwife dominion of God, than
to difpute his pleafure. May you be enabled
futably to caft this burden on the Lord ! And
may you find his " everlafting arms under-
neath" to fupport you ! May that glorious
Being, who has ftiled himfelf " the widow's
God",
A FUNERAL DISCOURSE. 35
God", pity your diftrcfled cafe, and fend you
help and comfort " from his holy dwelling
place" ! And let " all the congregation fay,
Amen"; and, I doubt not, but they will do
it with their whole hearts.
WE unite alfo in our prayers to the God
of heaven for the Children, fo early in life,
bereaved of their earthly father. Wherein
could the holyGod have more nearly touched
them ? What greater outward good could he
have taken from them ? What a guide would
he have been to their childhood and youth ?
How careful would he have been of their
education ? Efpecially, that they might have
been fitted to be bleffings in the world, and
to do worthily in their generation ? Bur, if
their earthly parent would have been good
to them, how much more will their father
in heaven concern himfelf for their welfare ;
taking them under his fpecial guidance, even
to death ? Their follickous mother may hope
that he will, and it is our ardent prayer that
he would : and fhe may be encouraged in
her hope, and we in our prayer, from the
thought, that God has been pleajed to r.
himfelf known under that endearing
" the father of orphans'', the God wich
F 2 whom
$6 A FUNERAL DISCOURSE.
whom " the fatherlefs find mercy".- — I can-
not forbear recommending thefe orphan-
children to the compaffionate regards of you,
the people of God in this place ; nor can I
fuppofe but you will be ready to fhew them
Idndnefs in the Lord. I bear you record,
you were kindly affectioned to their departed
father ; making difcoveries of it in fu table
aeh of benevolence. — Remember, I befeech
you, thefe dear parts of himfelf he has left
behind him ; and " to do them good forget
not ; for with fach facrifices God will be
well p leafed".
SUFFER me now to leave with the flock
of Chrift, in this place, the following advice ;
which, if received in love, and duly pracYifed
upon, may, by the divine blcffing, be pro-
ijtahle to you*
CONSIDER the death of your paftor as bro't
about, jn all its circumflanccs, under the
over-ruling agency of the alwjfe, righteous,
holy and merciful Sovereign of heaven and
earth. And let this thought compofe you to
filence and fubmifiion. Be dill, and know
that he is God. Let npnc dare, fo much as
in their hearts, to " i!nd fault" with him* or
to
A FUNERAL DISCOURSE. 37
to fay unto him " what doeft thou"? — What
he has done is the effect of alwife counfeL— -
It is beft as it is ; for God has done it. And
" who can mend the work which his hand
has wrought"?
I N Q.U i R E each one of you, wherein you may
have had an hand in bringing this evil upon
.yourfelves. It may be fome of you enter-
tained too exalted thoughts of him, placing
an undue dependance on his gifts and talents.
In this cafe, God might be difplcafed. — It
may be, fome of you, inftcad of being wro't
upon by the infiructions, counfels and warn-
ings, which God difpenfed to you by the
mouth of his fervant, flopped your cars, and
hardened your hearts, and are to this day
going on in your trefpaffes : fhould it be thus
with any of you, you have infinite reafon to
turn upon yourfelves with the keened reflec-
tions. You have flighted, to an high degree
of guilt, the miniftry God was pleafed to fet
-;> among yoij, and it may be in anger to
{Vh of you that he has taken it from you.
You cannot therefore better improve this
providence than by humbling yourfeivcs be-
fore God, and betaking yourfelves to his
mercy thro' Chrifl for pardon, in. the exercife
of a deep repentance. AND
A FUNERAL DISCOURSE.
AND you fliould all remember " how you
have received, and heard". Often call to
mind the great truths, relating to your fouls,
and your everlafting falvation, which have
been fo ferioufly and preffingly delivered to
you from this defk, that you may ftill reap
fpirkual advantage from them. " I befeech
you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord
Jefus Chrift, that, as you have received, of
your deceafed paftor, hpw ye ought to walk,
fo ye would abound more and more". "Be-
ware left, being led away with the error of
the wicked, ye fall from your ftedfaftneft":
But " grow in grace, and in the knowledge
of our Lord and Saviour Jefus Chrift". "My
beloved brethren, be ye ftedfaft, immoveable,
always abounding in the work of the Lord ;
forasmuch as you have been taught, and
know, that your labor is not in vain in the
Lord".
AND as you are now as fhecp without a
ftepherd, it is the hearty prayer of all your
friends, that you may not be fcattered ; that
God would keep you united in love, and in
his own time, which is the beft, direct
and lead you into the choice of another
paftor, who {hall long live to be a bleffing to
you. "BRETHREN
A FUNERAL DISCOURSE. 39
BRETHREN, I commend you to God,
to the word of his grace, which is able to
build you up, and to give you an inheritance
among all them that are fanftified".
I HAVE only to fay, as Dr. Mayhew was
a friend to thefe churches, and their able
advocate ; efpecially in regard of that " liberty
wherewith our Lord Jefus Chrift has made
them free ': As he was a friend to the col-
lege, and has exerted his powers to my
knowledge in defence of its reputation and
intereft : And as he was a friend to the coun-
try in general, entertaining an high opinion
of the more fpecial errand upon which our
progenitors came over into this then defolate
wildernefs,and hasvigoroufly laid himfelf out
in oppofing any defigns that might have been
formed to fubvert it : — His death, in the vi-
gor of his days, and height of his ufeful-
nefs, may juftly be efleemed a great and pub-
lic lofs, calling for univerfal lamentation.
WE may rcafonably cry to God for help,
when men of fuch importance are taken out
of the world. And we have great encour-
agement to do fo, as with him is " the re-
fidue of the fpirit", He can raife up, qualify
and
40 A FUNERAL DIS :OURSE.
and fpirit others to fupply their place, fup-
port his caufe, and do yet more worthily for
him, in their day and generation. Let us reft
our fouls on God as the alone all-fufficient
fource of all good.
" Now to him who only hath immorta-
lity, dwelling in light, which no man can
approach to, whom no man hath feen, or can
fee ; of whom, thro* whom, and to whom
are all things : to him be given all glory and
honor, dominion and bleffing,by all creatures
In heaven and earth, forever and ever.
AMEN,
Oil?
Live Music
Archive
Librivox
Free Audio
Metropolitan Museum
Cleveland
Museum of Art
Internet
Arcade
Console Living Room
Open Library
American
Libraries
TV News
Understanding
9/11